Total Titans

Steve McNair is already in the Hall of Fame

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:58:15 -0600

I hadn't planned to write much more about the passing of Steve McNair but have had a change of heart, wanting to share some moments from his funeral earlier this evening.

"Highlights" may not sound appropriate, perhaps even bordering on the macabre, but it was a celebration of his life. Several speakers said Steve had scored a final touchdown.

Derrick Mason spoke of his love for Steve and finished his comments by thumping his chest and pointing to the heavens.

Likewise, Eddie George spoke of love, for Steve and all his teammates. He also said people asked him if Steve would someday be in the Hall of Fame. Eddie drew resounding applause when he said Steve was already there. Eddie finished by reading a poem he had composed about Steve, about warriors.

Saying goodbye to Mac9

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 22:15:24 -0600

Three writers, three similar but different perspectives. Unlike Drexel, I never met Steve McNair in person. Unlike Andrew, actually getting to see Steve (or, for that matter, the rest of his teammates) play was a rare experience-living outside the Nashville area, in NFC markets, and without Sunday Ticket, the Titans actually being on TV was a pleasant but disappointingly irregular event. No, on Sunday afternoons I tended to be glued to the computer, listening to Mike Keith and Pat Ryan or later Frank Wycheck on Titans Radio.

My experience meeting Steve McNair

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:58:04 -0600

I'll be honest: It's still difficult to put into words coherent thoughts and feelings towards the untimely passing of the Tennessee Titans' beloved former signal-caller Steve McNair.

As Andrew alluded to in his most recent article, not only was #9 a heck of a quarterback, but he will also be remembered for his kind acts demonstrated by his commitment to humanitarian causes.

Last year, during my only experience meeting Steve McNair in person, I witnessed up close and personal both of the aforementioned qualities that made him such a beloved figure in the city of Nashville as well as in the circles of NFL fandom.

In Memory of Steve McNair

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:31:56 -0600

Fans formed a shrine at Steve McNair's new restaurant. Photo by Andrew Strickert for Total Titans.

Our Fourth of July was saddened with the shocking news of the senseless death of Steve McNair and our condolences, thoughts and prayers are with his family.

This tragedy certainly put a damper on my weekend so I now want to remember some happier times.

I will always remember his toughness - that will always be first and foremost in my mind. The times he missed practice all week, was listed as "Questionable" or "Doubtful" and then played well will not be forgotten.

I will especially remember the Giants game in the Meadowlands, when he led the Titans from a late eight-point deficit to an overtime win. Neil O'Donnell told the story of fully expecting to start and buying 40 or 50 tickets for some family and friends in New Jersey. McNair was in bad shape and could barely get off the team bus before the game. But that didn't stop him from playing or from throwing a late touchdown pass and running in the tying two-point conversion with just seconds left in regulation.

R.I.P. Steve McNair

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:13:53 -0600

For those of you busy celebrating Independence Day, the NFL lost one of its legends today.

Steve McNair was a warrior who personified toughness during his triumphant NFL career. As Tennessee Titan fans, we vividly remember the excitement he brought to the huddle during his unforgettable tenure in Nashville.

It's a tragedy that he's gone way to soon.

RIP #9

Why I don't really care the Titans were 29th in spending

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:05:00 -0600

You may have seen this piece by Paul Kuharsky at AFC South Blog based off an entry by Jason LaCanfora of NFL Network showing how much cash each NFL team spent per win from 2004 to 2008. Now, Paul wrote about the "cost per win" data, but LaCanfora's more interesting piece is the one I actually linked to, showing how much each team actually spent from 2004 to 2008. And the Titans in that ranking were 29th, having spent about $100 million less than the highest spending team, the Cowboys. So, Bud Adams is cheap, right?

To quote Lee Corso, not so fast, my friends. After all, the post Paul linked to showed the Titans were 13th in spending per win. I just indicated I'm not sure how meaningful a metric that is, but it's at least some evidence the Titans were actually reasonably efficient at spending the money they did have. But there's another reason I don't really care the Titans were 29th in spending.

Getting excited about the "new" LenDale White

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:24:12 -0600

Earlier during the offseason, I penned a piece that took a look at LenDale White's newfound commitment to being slim. Showing up to mini-camps at an impressive twenty pounds lighter compared to the previous year, White's dieting prompted me to speculate about the prospects of him having a breakout season of sorts in '09.

A few months later, White's recent weigh-in of 229 pounds has added additional fuel to the fire regarding his chances of having his best year as a Tennessee Titan in 2009.

The Titans will cut some good players this year

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:38:16 -0600

Training camp will be a battleground for roster spots

The Tennessee Titans will open training camp in just 4½ weeks and there won't be many, if any, starting jobs to be won. You can pencil in the Opening Day starters, either returning starters or veteran free agents, at each position.

The jobs that will be competed for will be for depth behind those starters and the Titans have a lot of good players vying for roster spots. One good problem the Titans have is that there are more good players than roster spots available. Some difficult decisions will have to be made and some players good enough to be in the league won't be good enough to earn one of 53 positions.

We'll look closely at those players and roster spots in the coming weeks but for now I'd like to just take a very broad view. Following are the number of players at each position for the season opener last year.

Feeling good about the Tennessee Titans' 2009 6th rounders

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:37:11 -0600

Over the years, the 6th round of the NFL Draft has been a mixed bag for the Tennessee Titans. The next-to-last round of the annual April event has reaped solid contributors such as Jacob Ford in '07 and Bo Scaife in '05.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, the Titans have also utilized recent picks in the sixth on the likes of "immortals" such as Joel Filani, Ryan Smith and Jonathan Orr: a motley crew of players who failed to make their marks in Nashville.

In 2009, I'm excited about the potential of this year's crop of sixth-rounders: WR Dominique Edison and CB Jason McCourty.

Will the Tennessee Titans pull the plug on Paul Williams?

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 09:24:59 -0600

As we mentioned shortly after a draft that saw the Tennessee Titans bring in additional bodies at the wide receiver position, the chances of Paul Williams sticking around in Nashville have dwindled.

Mired in the quagmire of inconsistency throughout his first two seasons in the NFL, Williams has yet to fulfill the promise that GM Mike Reinfeldt saw in the Fresno State alum during the 2007 Draft.

With the news that Williams won't be ready to practice again until training camp as a result of injuries, one has to wonder if his days in a Tennessee Titan uniform are coming to a grinding halt.

The 2009 Titans and the salary cap

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:39:08 -0600

The nadir of the Tennessee Titans occurred following the great salary cap purge of 2005, resulting in a 4-12 record that year. It says a lot about the organization that it quickly rebuilt, improving their record for three consecutive years with 8-8, 10-6 and 13-3 seasons.

The foundation exists for another title run this year and the Titans will again be one of the favorites for postseason contention.

To make things even better, Tennessee is in good shape, salary cap-wise, being well under the cap. I used to track the Titans' cap religiously but no longer feel the need to do so.

But just imagine what kind of shape the Titans would be in now if they once again had cap problems.

Bigger Tennessee Titan rookie impact: Kenny Britt or Jared Cook?

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 07:09:24 -0600

The Tennessee Titans have a recent history of rookies making an immediate impact on the offensive side of the football.

In 2006, Vince Young emerged as the league's offensive rookie of the year as a result of his stellar play during his debut season. Last year, the wheels of Chris Johnson revitalized a once-stagnant Titan offense by providing the team with a legit threat to take it to the house on any given play.

First impressions are lasting, and judging by the rave reviews received by WR Kenny Britt and TE Jared Cook, we may be on the verge of witnessing yet another breakout performance by a Titan offensive rookie in 2009.

The red zone is no longer the dead zone for the Tennessee Titans

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:39:54 -0600

In 2007 B.C. (Before Chris Johnson), the Tennessee Titans finished as the league's worst team in the all-important category of red zone touchdown percentage.

A year prior to Dash's arrival, sightings of Rob Bironas on field goal tries seemingly far outnumbered the kicker's appearances on extra points. To make a long story short, many promising Titan drives ended with threes being added to the scoreboard instead of sixes.

Last year, the Titans' red zone woes disappeared, thanks to CJ and the re-arrival of offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger. The team finished second behind only Peyton Manning and the Colts in red zone touchdown efficiency, crossing the goal-line on 28 of their 45 red zone opportunities.

In 2009, I'm expecting continued success from the Titans inside the twenties.

Nate Washington should really help Chris Johnson

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:25:39 -0600

I've believed for quite a few years that the Titans needed a fast receiver, one who could be a deep threat and stretch the field. Tyrone Calico was supposed to be that guy but he didn't live up to his potential as a second-round draft pick.

Then it was Courtney Roby, whom Floyd Reese claimed had 4.28 speed, who would be that guy. Roby was released after three uninspiring years.

Earlier this year, the Titans acquired the speedy Nate Washington as an unrestricted free agent to be that guy.

Washington has a reputation for inconsistency, for dropping a few catchable balls, and frankly, that doesn't bother me as much as it probably does others.

Are big things in store for Justin Gage in 2009?

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 18:23:42 -0600

The Tennessee Titans have made their share of moves at the wide receiver position this offseason.

Only days after the opening of unrestricted free agency's floodgates, the Titans reeled in speedy WR Nate Washington. On the first day of the NFL Draft, Jeff Fisher and crew decided to do the unthinkable: they uncharacteristically selected a WR in the first round (Kenny Britt) for the first time since switching their nickname from the Oilers to the Titans.

Lost amid the attention devoted towards the acquisitions of Washington and Britt is the plight of the team's incumbent #1 WR: Justin Gage.

Despite the newcomers stealing his thunder, I'm expecting big things from Gage in 2009.